


Shadow Pains

by Hanajimasama



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Shadow pains, croco-chan being grumpy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 04:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19143757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanajimasama/pseuds/Hanajimasama
Summary: Many years ago Crocodile lost his hand. He’s reminded daily of the pain and humiliation he suffered.But now he’s got someone to help ease the pain.





	Shadow Pains

**Author's Note:**

> So. I had an idea on how croco-chan lost his hand. I know it says he was beaten by Whitebeard but it doesn’t say that’s how he lost it. But here we go.

 

Crocodile was a proud man. His status as a warlord was a symbol of that. There was one thing he was ashamed of, his biggest regret was the loss of his left hand. He had lost it in his twenties, which seemed decades ago now. He had an encounter with Charlotte Linlin or better known as ‘Big Mom’ one of the four Emperors of the sea. She was ruthless.  
It was a simple choice. Join her family or die. His crew at the time were cornered by her. They were strong and stubborn and on the Grand Line: that could be very dangerous. They were beaten. Terribly. He’d lost a lot of his crew in the battle and Big Mom gave him the choice.

“Join my family or Die” 

“I’ll take my chances and die.” Crocodile sneered refusing to kowtow to this enormous woman. 

Big Mom laughed loudly: a sound that would echo through his mind for many many years. She liked a good game and allowed Crocodile to spin the wheel that would ultimately decide his fate. Crocodile watched as the wheel slowly ticked to a halt. It landed on a hand. 

“Well now, you are lucky. You will live to fight another day. Tamago deal with him.” Crocodile faced his fate like a man. This was his bed he’d lay in it. 

“Oui, mama”

Crocodile made no effort to run and closed his eyes as the blade was brought down.

-

Thunder crashed loudly over and lightning filled the room.

“-Are you alright?” He opened his eyes slowly focusing on the heavy and lavish golden hook that replaced his left hand. It throbbed so much.  
“Crocodile?”  
When the rain was unrelenting the pain seemed to increase and the hook felt as heavy as sea prism cuffs.  
“Croco-chan?” He tensed as a hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up at her, his angel, his songbird. She was beautiful and her presence soothed his nerves and quite often his short temper “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing” he mumbled, leaning back on the leather sofa in his office. 

“Don’t lie to me” she warned sternly “Do you think I can’t see that you’re in a foul mood” She reached to touch his face “It’s your hand isn’t it?” He grumbled in response, she sighed “Can I take it off?” 

“Do what you will” he huffed, he hated being seen without it. It served as a constant reminder that he had lost, beaten and shamed. 

“I will” she carefully eased the hook from his arm shifting it in her arms to get a better hold of it before carrying it over to the table setting it down on a cushion for it. She walked back over to him pushing some loose dark hair from his eyes, her lips planting a kiss to the top of his head “I know you’ll never tell me what happened but at least let me give you some comfort.” She was too kind. Something he didn’t rightly deserve. Crocodile reached for her with his good hand pulling her closer to stand between his legs before wrapping the other arm around her too and resting his head against her chest. The smell of her perfume filled his nose. The feel of her fingers through his hair, drawing circles on the back of his neck. The delicate hum of a song he didn’t know the words to filled the air and reverberated through her chest. 

She was helping to distract him from that throbbing pain from where his hand used to be. 

“Croco-chan? Did you want to lay down?” He met her with another grumble, he didn’t want to move at all. “You might feel better and you should rest.” She pulled away to take his shoes off and sat on his right coaxing him to lay down. He couldn’t feel more pathetic having to be tended to like a child. Sighing knowing she would just carry on until he complied and he was indeed tired, he swung his legs onto the sofa and slowly laid down resting his head on her lap, he shuffled to get comfortable carefully cradling his missing hand. “Don’t scowl” she said with a smile leaning down to kiss his forehead “No one is going to judge you. You need rest just like everyone else” 

“Tsukiko. Sing to me” he ordered, he wasn’t like everyone else. He was a Shichibukai, a warlord of the ocean. He was above everyone else. He couldn’t be seen being coddled. 

“Of course my darling” she smiled stroking his hair once again and sang a song that made him forget the raging storm outside and the slowly drowned out the pain in his wrist. 

He didn’t trust anyone, it made them weak. But this woman showed him something that somehow it was possible to rely on someone even after being betrayed by so many and still manage to smile. 

“Stay” he mumbled in her kimono.

“I’m not going anywhere my little gator” he growled and looked up at her with a stern frown. 

“Don’t call me that”

“Yes I know crocodiles and alligators are different. But your sleeping face is too cute” she often liked to push his buttons because she knew he couldn't stay angry at her. He sighed and lifted his arm.

“Lay with me” he ordered sternly, Tsukiko nodded and shuffled to lay beside him,

“Oh wait” she summoned several fox tails and used them as a cushion for him “How is that?” She asked with a smile. Her devil fruit power was so convenient in times like this and at the same time: frightening.. 

“Mm.” was his response as his hand reached to rub the fox ears that now sat atop of her hair, she shuddered and clamped her eyes shut in embarrassment. 

“D-don’t- you said you wouldn’t do that” she whined her cheeks flushed red,

“And you said you wouldn’t call me gator” he retorted with a tired but smug smile, watching her pout childishly. Crocodile couldn’t help but crack a proper smile, dipping to kiss her roughly before she snuggled into his chest. He felt himself dozing off, opening an eye as another tail laid protectively over his missing hand. 

He didn’t trust anyone but he was trying to rely on her even just a little.  
Never would he admit it, but being cocooned by her tails made him feel safe, even if he didn’t have his hook to scare people off. 

As the thunder rumbled in the distance and sleep was starting to take over, Crocodile pulled Tsukiko a little closer, he was stronger now. He’d saved her once. He wouldn’t let her get hurt again. Ever. He swore on that golden hook which reflected the lightning as it filled the room.


End file.
